Braska's Final Aeon
by Hanzao
Summary: Jecht tells Braska why he wants to become his Final Aeon


_I don't want to be the one_

_The battles always choose_

'_Cause inside I realize_

_I'm the one confused_

_I don't know what's worth fighting for_

_Or why I have to scream_

_I don't know why I instigate_

_And say what I don't mean_

_I don't know how I got this way_

_I know it's not alright_

_So I'm breaking the habit tonight_

_(Breaking the Habit – Linkin Park)_

"Jecht, you know what this means, right?" Lord Braska places his hand on the other man's shoulder.

"Yeah, I get it," Jecht replies. "Once this is done, I'll be gone."

"More than that, my friend." Braska tucks his hands back into the sleeves of his robes. "It also means that you won't be going home."

Jecht turns around and walks over to one of the walls in the temple.

"You know, I've been doing some thinking," Jecht says, nervously rubbing the back of his neck. "I've seen those spheres of you and little Yuna. You two really get along. I mean… she doesn't hate you."

"I've always tried to be the best father I could be." Braska smiles at first, but it quickly fades. "But I think I know where you're going with this one, Jecht. I've noticed you've seemed troubled these past few weeks coming here. It is about your son, is it not?"

"I've always been such a… " Jecht strikes the wall with his fist.

"You are a good man, Jecht. How many times have we gone into battle? How many times would Auron and I have been slain if it were not for your help?"

"Yeah, and how many times have I gotten us into trouble?" Jecht lowers his head. "For every one good thing I've done, I've screwed something up maybe two or three times."

"Jecht…" Braska begins to argue.

"I know what you mean, Braska. I've been able to do a lot of good things here on Spira and now we're going to go beat Sin. I like that, I really do. It feels good to know that I've been able to make a difference. But the problem is, the biggest difference that I have been needing to make is something that I can't do."

Jecht kicks a few pebbles on the floor.

"I am the best Blitzball player in Zanarkand… but I'm the worst father."

Braska walks over to his friend and places his hands on Jecht's shoulders.

"Listen to me, my friend. I have made mistakes in my past as well. Every one of us has something in their lives that they would like to change. That is part of what it means to be human. However, we cannot judge ourselves or others based upon the mistakes of the past, but rather the choices we make in the present."

"Yeah, you're right." Jecht smiles and slaps Braska on his shoulders. "That's the point I was gonna make myself."

Jecht steps away from his friend and slowly starts toward Yunalesca's chamber.

"I'm never going back to Zanarkand." Jecht's voice is a little softer now. "I'll never have the opportunity to make it up to my boy. I'll never be able to see him play Blitzball. Maybe… maybe he's gonna hate me for the way I've always treated him."

The two men are silent for a moment.

"But you know what?" Jecht quickly turns around with his fist held up in the air. "I'm still gonna go in there and become your Final Aeon. Together we'll kick Sin's butt and bring this Calm thing back to Spira. Hell, with me as your Aeon, we just might kill Sin for good, right?"

Jecht laughs so hard that Braska can't help but to laugh as well.

"You know, some things don't change, my friend," Braska says through the laughter.

"But you know, uh, just in case there's any way for it to happen," Jecht says after the laughter had died out. "I mean, uh, the real reason I want to do this is, if my boy could ever know what I did, uh…"

"I think he would be very proud of you," Braska nods his head.

Jecht lowers his head, hiding his eyes.

"It's alright, Jecht. You can still be manly if you cry once in a while."

"What? What you talking about? I'm not crying," Jecht quickly turns back toward Yunalesca's chamber door and starts walking through to the chamber beyond. "Just all this damn dust in this place. Surprised we're not hacking up our lungs in here. Good thing Auron stayed back there, or else he'd be complaining so much you wouldn't be able to… oh, hello my Lady! Nice… uh, place you have here! Kinda chilly though, huh? Heh, heh…"

Braska shakes his head and steps forward.


End file.
